In 2000, I visited Southern Virginia and its state highpoint, Mount Rogers. This may have been it for me regarding Virginia if I hadn't met and married my wonderful wife Beth, whose folks live in northern Virginia. We visit (or try to) about once a year, so whenever possible we work in a few highpoints in Virginia, nearby West Virginia, and even Maryland. The Appalachian peaks are great fun and some of the best hiking I have ever experienced. This was Beth's old stomping grounds: she hiked the trails here for years before moving west.

One thing to note about Virginia: Apparently the state allows its cities the option to "secede" from the surrounding county and attain "independent city" status. Whereas some states may have at most one independent city, Virginia has 40 such cities. For county highpoints, they count as a county-like civil subdivision. They count as county (equivalent) highpoints, and we do them on a convenience basis only. Sometimes they're interesting hills, but mostly they are in a street or someone's alleyway.